Diving duck toy



March 25, 1969 M. P. WATTS ET AL DIVING DUCK TOY Filed July 1.5, 1964 INVENTORS 9% Wm United StatesEPatent O US. Cl. 46-92 2 Claims This invention relates to an aquatic toy, and more particularly to a plastic like toy duck having diving as well as forward motion, adapted to be floatingly supported on water, similar to a live duck floating on water; also a means therein to manually give the toy duck actuating power and for simultaneously behaving in a manner similar to that of a live duck floating on water. This means of diving or tumbling motion in recurring cycles can be applied to other playthings.

At the outset, and by a way of review, it will be noted that very few aquatic toys that float on water have incorporated in them any means of diving, especially by a simple safe mechanical actuating means.

Several methods are used to motivatethe floating devices, but none for mechanical means for the diving action employed in them.

One of the primary reasons is to procure the diving action in aquatic devices, more especially, in a duck type water fowl or similar animals, together with the forward and circular motions.

Another object is that it be a simple and safe means of procuring the diving, swimming and circular actions, this means of action to be safely initiated by the operator at the start of the cycle of operation.

Still another object of the invention is that the directions of the swimming and diving can be easily done by a rudder being set at the beginning of each cycle.

These and other objects may be attained by the means herein described and as disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the diving duck.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view through the duck in its floating position embodying the teaching of the present invention on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar sectional elevational view of the duck in its lower diving position.

FIG. 4 is a rear view cross-sectional of spring actuating mechanism on the line 55 of FIG. 2, certain internal construction details and the actuating means which changes the center of gravity changing means.

With reference now to FIG. 1 the numeral denotes the body with its two complementary hollow halves 10a and 10b, joined to form a floatable body, which can dive and swim like a water fowl, spring powered means is housed in frame 11, held in together by webs 12a, 12b 12c, and 12d, also holds the drum 14 or propeller actuating pulley, shaft 13, to which driving spring 15 is fastened, handle 30, a pawl 32 on the frame 11 to hold spring from unwinding, against ratchet 31 on shaft 13, gear 16 on drum 14, belt 17 goes over drum 14 then to idler drum 18, or transverse idler pulley, weights 20, 21 and 22 3,434,234 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 are clustered on one end of belt 17, gear 23 meshes gear 16 that drives, is on shaft 24, gear 25 at other end and it engages gear 26, on a friction shaft 27. Two paddle-like feet 29a and 29b are at each end of shaft 24, they extend beyond the body 10 and when rotating strike the water like natural ducks feet. Rudder 33 is attached to body 10 by means of pin 34 into hole 35 where it is held by friction.

To operate the toy duck body 10 wind spring 15 with handle 30 which turns shaft 13 on which is gear 16 that engages gear 23 to drive shaft 24 and the paddle-feet 29a and 29b to give swimming action, while the above action is going on the spring 15 is driving drum 14 with its belt 17 and idler drum 18. Weights 20, 21 and 22 which are closely grouped together on belt 17 move from the center of gravity of body 10 into the chest of the duck or very front part of body 10. This means of action at given intervals causes the duck or body 10 to tilt over and dive as the heavy weights 20, 21 and 22 change the center of gravity from center of body 10 to the very front or chest of duck body 10. The rudder 33 or fin means is attached to body 10 by means of a frictionally adjustable pin 34 in hole 35. By setting this rudder the duck can be made to swim and dive in a circular path or straight forward before it is placed on the water.

We claim:

1. A toy duck comprising a hollow body adapted to float, and an actuating mechanism mounted inside of said body, said actuating mechanism comprising: a duck propelling means for moving the duck forwardly, a transverse propeller-actuating pulley, a power-supplying means for driving said propeller-actuating pulley, a mechanical connection between said propeller-actuating pulley and said duck-propelling means, a transverse idler-pulley disposed in front of said propeller-actuating pulley, a belt connected between the two pulleys, a weight carried by said belt whereby to shift the center of gravity forward sufficiently to cause a forward diving action of the duck at given intervals when the belt is in such a position that said weight is in the front part of the duck, while the duck is swimming in water.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in combination with a frictionally adjustable direction-controllable finmeans which can be manually preset to cause the duck to swim either in a straight line, or to circle to the right or left, during its swimming movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1899 Biddle 46-92 5/1935 l-lirose 4692 US. Cl. X.R. 46-94 

1. A TOY DUCK COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY ADAPTED TO FLOAT, AND AN ACTUATING MECHANISM MOUNTED INSIDE OF SAID BODY, SAID ACTUATING MECHANISM COMPRISING: A DUCKPROPELLING MEANS FOR MOVING THE DUCK FORWARDLY, A TRANSVERSE PROPELLER-ACTUATING PULLEY, A POWER-SUPPLYING MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID PROPELLER-ACTUATING PULLEY, A MECHANICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID PROPELLER-ACTUATING PULLEY AND SAID DUCK-PROPELLING MEANS, A TRANSVERSE IDLER-PULLEY DIS- 